ARS FENNICA 2009 CANDIDATES
The joint exhibition of the five Ars Fennica 2009 candidates will be on view in Kiasma from 9 October 2009 to 10 January 2010. The show will consist of new work, including many pieces made specifically for this exhibition.The candidates are:
Matti Kalkamo
Mika Karhu
Jussi Kivi
Jyrki Riekki
Petri Yrjölä
The winner of the Ars Fennica 2009 award will be chosen by Vicente Todolí, Director of the Tate Modern, who will be visiting Finland from 9 to 11 October 2009. He will visit the exhibition and meet all the candidates.
The winner will be announced on 19 November 2009. His solo show will be on view from 27 March to 23 May 2010 in the Kuntsi Museum of Modern Art in Vaasa. Visitors can vote for their favourite work in the exhibition in Kiasma. The result of the vote will be announced in January.
Ars Fennica 2008 award was presented to the Estonian video and photographic artist Mark Raidpere at a ceremony held in the Kumu Art Museum in Tallinn.
THE FOUNDATION
The Henna and Pertti Niemistö Ars Fennica Art Foundation was set up in 1990 to promote the visual arts, to open up new international contacts for the Finnish art world, and to encourage artists in their creative work.
The Ars Fennica art award is made annually to one artist in recognition of distinctive artistic output of high merit. The award includes a monetary prize of 34,000 euros, a catalogue of works by the winner and an exhibition tour of three Finnish art museums. The Ars Fennica is an internationally respected award and the biggest Finnish prize for visual art.
The Ars Fennica award committee puts up a list of candidates, from among whom an international art expert chooses the winner. As well as Finns, other Nordic, Baltic and St Petersburg artists have been short-listed. The prize committee consists of Leena Niemistö, MD, Doctor of Medicine, Berndt Arell, museum director, Matti Peltokangas, sculptor, and Elina Merenmies, painter.